Get ready for a busy weekend: Three Saturday events – the International Biscuit Festival, the Market Square Farmers’ Market and Knoxville’s Largest Kids’ Party – and Sunday afternoon’s Open Streets event will draw huge gatherings and prompt the closure of a number of streets.
International Biscuit Festival – Saturday, May 14
All hail the simple yet tantalizing biscuit, with a multitude of culinary pairings and possibilities. Who will be crowned Miss or Mister Biscuit? Who will pen the best song feting the biscuit?
The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Krutch Park Extension and along Clinch Avenue, Church Avenue and Market Street. The following streets will be closed:
- Market Street, between Clinch and Cumberland avenues – closed from 3 p.m. today (Friday, May 13) until 5 p.m. Saturday;
- Clinch Avenue, between Gay and Walnut streets – closed from 3 p.m. today until 5 p.m. Saturday;
- Church Avenue, between Gay and Walnut streets – closed from 3 p.m. today until 5 p.m. Saturday;
- Temporary no-parking zones on sections of Market Street, Clinch Avenue and Church Avenue will be in effect starting at 3 p.m. today.
Market Square Farmers’ Market – Saturday, May 14
The 13th season of the downtown farmers’ market offers locally grown produce, meat, eggs and plants, as well as locally-made artisan foods and crafts. For details, visit www.marketsquarefarmersmarket.org.
The Market Square Farmers’ Market will connect local growers and buyers from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Market Square and along Union Avenue and Market Street. The following streets will be closed:
- Market Street, between Clinch and Union avenues – closed from 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday;
- Union Avenue, between Walnut and Gay streets – closed from 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday;
- Temporary no-parking zones on Market Street and Union Avenue will be in effect starting at 5 a.m. Saturday.
Knoxville’s Largest Kids Party – Saturday, May 14
The 11 a.m.-7 p.m. event on the Festival Lawn at World’s Fair Park features bounce houses, Legos, carousel rides, a balloon show, a gymnastics obstacle course and much more. Admission is $5.
- World’s Fair Park Drive through the park will be closed, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday.
Open Streets Knoxville – Sunday, May 15
The Open Streets Knoxville debut last October drew about 3,400 participants. Organizers anticipate more than 8,000 turning out for Sunday afternoon’s encore, which will turn a vehicle-free Central Street between Happy Holler and the Old City into a mile-long pop-up park where people of all ages can walk, Zumba, dance, hop, shop, socialize and play in the street. Visit http://openstreetsknoxville.com for a calendar of activities and entertainment and maps with parking, KAT bus and restaurant and food truck locations.
Street closure details:
- Central Street – closed to motorized vehicles between Willow Street and Woodland Avenue, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. (The actual Open Streets event runs from 1-6 p.m.) Several through streets will remain open for cross traffic, with Knoxville Police Department officers directing traffic. (Please see attached map.)
- All on-street parking on Central will be posted “NO PARKING,” and cars will be towed if parked on Central beginning at noon Sunday, May 15.
